LETTER: Overstating ANC-Iran ties

David Gant’s letter was a textbook example of alarmist rhetoric, full of baseless assumptions and poorly constructed arguments (“ANC’s pro-Iran rhetoric is utterly self-serving”, March 9).

His sweeping claims about the ANC’s supposed ties to Iran and SA’s international interests are speculative at best, completely ignoring the complexities of global diplomacy.

Gant’s assertion that SA’s relationship with Iran is the sole cause of “Washington’s resentment” is a gross oversimplification. This view conveniently ignores the broader geopolitical factors influencing US policy towards SA, including trade relations, historical alignments and its regional relationships.

To reduce this issue to one point of friction is not only naive but completely detached from reality. Cue SA’s genocide application against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Gant’s suggestion that the ANC’s engagement with Iran is purely self-serving and damaging to SA’s international relations is deeply misguided.

Nations engage with a variety of countries for strategic, economic and political reasons. SA’s foreign policy, characterised by nonalignment and diplomacy with many international players, reflects this reality. Gant’s accusation that these efforts undermine SA’s ability to foster mutually beneficial relationships is unfair and irresponsible.

Perhaps the most ludicrous accusation in Gant’s letter is that Iran is secretly financially assisting the ANC to advance an anti-American agenda. Such claims require extraordinary evidence, which Gant fails to provide, relying instead on guilt by association to score cheap political points. This disregards SA’s long history of independent international relations, prioritising national interests over ideological allegiances.

Gant fails to acknowledge the upcoming visit of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, which demonstrates SA’s balanced approach to international relations. But facts such as these are clearly ignored in favour of baseless conspiracy theories.

Gant’s argument about the ANC’s “anti-Israel stance” and the “ANC-Iran-Hamas relationship”, is equally misguided. SA’s position on Israel has always been rooted in human rights and Palestinian self-determination, not support for terrorism. To conflate these two is a deliberate distortion.

Moreover, Gant overlooks the fact that US President Donald Trump’s envoy Adam Boehler met Hamas on Sunday, calling it a “helpful” meeting, while Israel attempted to sabotage the talks. Gant also neglects to mention that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a fugitive from justice and wanted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

Andile Songezo
Johannesburg

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